Why don emus fly?
The emu is Australia’s largest bird. It is part of a group of birds called ratites, which are big birds that do not fly. The other ratites are the ostrich from Africa and the rhea from South America. Ratites have tiny wings but the bones across their chest do not have a part for flight muscles to attach to. The sternum of flying birds is like a keel while ratites have a a raft-shape breastbone. Where is the emu found? The emu is quite common and is found all over Australia, though fewer live in desert areas. Emu Body The small wings help the bird cool itself in hot weather – they hold the wings out so that the air can circulate around the body. Emu females are generally larger than the males. The females weigh about 40 kilograms, the males about 36 kg. Emus can run at speeds of up to 50 km per hour. Emu feathers are brown, and grow in pairs with two shafts joined at the base. Emus are the only birds that have double feathers. The barbs coming out of the shafts are separate, not joined
